


Eternal Blossoms

by Moon_Blitz



Category: Digimon Tamers
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-25
Updated: 2012-12-25
Packaged: 2017-11-22 09:52:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/608515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moon_Blitz/pseuds/Moon_Blitz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takato makes a new friend, but is he feeling more than just simple friendship?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 50_digifics on LiveJournal. Prompts used in this fic are #002 (Digital World), # 12 (Friendship), #75 (Lost), #76 (Found) and #90 (Home).

Takato hung suspended in mid-air, gazing at an impossible scene below him. Two snarling beasts were locked in combat, seemingly determined to destroy each other. The smaller of the two looked like a humanoid reptile, with leathery black skin and razor-sharp claws on its hands and feet. A metal helmet covered the creature’s entire upper face, and four ragged dark red wings jutted from its back. Finally, a lashing tail hinted at the reptilian linage of the creature.

The larger beast closely resembled a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and looked enraged. Smooth light grey skin covered its body, with black metal implants covering its lower jaw and chest. Black cables snaked from the chest implant down between the legs to wrap around the muscular tail, and black armour also covered the claws on its arms and legs, adding to its ferocious look.

“Defeat him, Cyberdramon!” a male voice suddenly shouted, and Takato gasped in shock. They were both Digimon? But that was impossible, Digimon didn’t exist! The stunned teen watched as the Digimon called Cyberdramon broke free of his opponent’s embrace and raked its sharp claws across the face and chest of the Metal Tyrannomon with a snarl of “Cyber Nail!”

The dinosaur Digimon gave a strangled roar as the claws slashed through its body, quickly dissolving into tiny bits of data that were then absorbed by Cyberdramon. A human male walked over to the remaining Digimon, smiling broadly at the apparent victory. “Good job, partner. Let’s go home.” As the pair walked away, Takato moaned and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted.

\- - -

“I mean it! I actually saw Digimon fighting!” Matsuda Takato insisted the following morning, ignoring the sceptical looks of his two friends. At age thirteen, Takato was still fascinated with Digimon and was well-known for participating in the local Digimon Card Battle tournaments that Shinjuku often hosted. Unfortunately, he was one of the few boys his age to still be interested in such things, something which he often got mocked for.

“C’mon, Takato, do you really expect us to believe that? We’re not in sixth grade anymore,” Shiota Hirokazu, better known as just Kazu, scoffed as he adjusted the brim of the baseball cap he wore.

“Yeah! You should know better than to say something like that,” Kitagawa Kenta added, rising from the bench they were sitting on and grabbing his kitbag. “Let’s go, Kazu. I don’t want to be late for class.”

“Coming! See you later, Takato,” Kazu said, picking up his own bag and following the other teen towards the school gates.

Takato just sat there, stunned that his friends had rejected him like that. “But they was real…” he muttered, light red eyes watering as he tried not to let his feelings show. Sniffing, he ran a hand through his light brown hair and decided he wasn’t in the mood for classes that day. Standing, he slung his kitbag over his shoulder and walked back the way he had originally come, letting his thoughts drift back to the strange dream he had experienced the night before.

He was certain that it had been something more than a dream, but had no idea what had actually happened to him. The simple fact that Digimon did exist made his head spin, but the teen wanted to find out more about them. The mysterious boy was also on his mind as well. At the time, Takato had only gotten a brief look at him, but was sure he could recognize other boy if need be.

Takato continued to wander for the majority of the day, pausing only to rest and to eat lunch, then supper. Finally, he found himself sitting along the bank of a small stream deep inside the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, watching the sunset. The park had closed about an hour earlier, but the teen knew how to sneak out again without setting off the security systems.

Letting out a soft sigh, he flopped backwards onto the grass and stared upwards at the darkening sky, wishing he understood more about what had happened the previous night. “It’s not fair…I want to have a real Digimon too,” he muttered to himself, remembering the smile the mysterious male had worn after Cyberdramon had defeated the other Digimon. The boy had appeared to be around Takato’s own age, so what was preventing him from having a Digimon? He would love to have a Digimon partner, a special friendship that no one would be able to break apart.

“Then what’s stopping you?” a voice asked from behind him.

“Huh?” Sitting up quickly, Takato twisted around and stared at the speaker, momentarily too surprised to do anything expect stare. “It’s…you. From my dream…” he finally mumbled, realizing too late how stupid it sounded.

“Yep,” the boy replied casually, stepping out of the shadow of the trees to settle down beside Takato. Bright blue eyes shone in the fading light, and a faint breeze swept through his brown hair as he turned his head to return Takato’s stare. “I’m Akiyama Ryo," he said, holding out his hand and smiling gently.

“I-I’m Takato. Matsuda Takato," the flustered teen replied, his fingers tingling when they came in contact with Ryo’s palm as they shook hands.

“Nice to meet you, Takato. Could you tell me more about this dream?” Nodding and giving a faint smile, Takato launched into an explanation of what he had seen.

\- - -

“That’s interesting.” Ryo commented once Takato had finished, tipping his head back to gaze up at the night sky. Curious to know what the teen meant by that, Takato waited patiently for an answer, light red eyes scanning the calm waters of the stream in front of them. As the silence between them stretched out, the boy began to get impatient, but held back from asking anything. After all, he didn’t want to pester Ryo too much, and he hoped that the other teen would explain more about Digimon.

“Um…Ryo? What are you thinking about?” he asked finally, eyes drifting over to settle on his face.

“Oh, just wondering how you could see into the Digital World, that’s all. By the way, is there anything you want to ask me?” was the eventual answer.

“How do you get to the Digital World?”

“I can find weak points in the connection between the Digital World and the Real World with my D-Arc. If the weak point is big enough, I can create a portal that will take me directly to the Digital World.”

Takato mulled this over for a moment, then asked, “Can anyone go through these portals?”

“If they have a D-Arc, then yes.”

“Oh.” The teen frowned at this, disappointed that he wasn’t able to go to the Digital World like Ryo could.

“Hey, don’t look so down,” Ryo said, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing gently. “I can also take someone with me through the portal.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah. It’s risky though, since getting back out again can be difficult.”

“Could you…I mean…may I come with you?” Takato asked, feeling a mixture of nervousness and excitement rising within him.

“Hm…The Digital World is pretty dangerous, but alright, you can come. It’ll have to be a short trip though, since your folks won’t know you’re gone. Still up to it?” Ryo agreed, smiling as Takato’s face lit up in a huge grin.

“Yeah! Thank you so much, Ryo!”

“No problem. Are you free Saturday afternoon?”

“I am.”

“Then we’ll meet back here at 2 o’clock. Not a word about this to anyone, ok?” Ryo asked, getting to his feet and waiting while Takato scrambled up.

“Sure thing. See you then!” Laughing, the other teen returned Takato’s wave as he walked off, leaving the boy alone once again. “Man, this is great! I’m actually going to the Digital World!” Takato said excitedly, making his way through the deserted garden towards his secret exit. A broad smile on his face, the boy hoped that nothing would prevent him from returning on Saturday.

\- - -

“Takato! How long are you going to be out for?” his mother called after him, forcing the boy to stop and turn around.

“I’m not sure…what time do you want me to be home by?” he called back, jogging in place while his mother thought it over. It was 1:30, and he would have to hurry if he was going to meet Ryo on time.

“Try not to stay out past 8 PM, 9 at the latest. And have fun!” she answered, waving farewell as he nodded and dashed off towards the train station. Twenty-five minutes later, Takato reached the Shinjuku Gate of the National Garden and paid the entrance fee, panting slightly from the jog from the station. Pocketing the change, he quickly hurried back towards the stream where he and Ryo had met, arriving exactly at 2 o’clock. Reaching the correct spot, he looked around but didn’t see anyone. Kneeling down by the stream, he paused to catch his breath, eyes following the small fish as they darted back and forth under the water.

“They’re so energetic, aren’t they? Kind of like you.” Surprised by the comment, Takato twisted around to look at Ryo. Seeing the confusion in his eyes, the other boy laughed and waved a hand. “Sorry, I say weird things sometimes. Were you waiting long?”

“No, just got here.” Takato rose and dusted off his jeans, smiling brightly at the other brown-haired boy. “Mom told me to be back by 9 tonight at the latest, so that gives us just over six hours to explore. That ok?”

“That’s fine with me. Let’s go.” Turning, Ryo led him down a narrow side path bordered by trees until they reached a small clearing. Pleased at how peaceful the glade was, Takato watched at the teen took out a small blue-and-white device, a square screen in the centre. Curious, he leaned closer to get a better look, faintly registering that Ryo smelled like cherries. His eyes widened as the screen lit up and projected a holographic map of some sort, with tiny flashing yellow dots scattered across its surface. Turning slowly to the left, Ryo walked in the direction of the nearest dot, leaning them down yet another narrow path until they came to a wide river. By this time, the yellow dot was flashing wildly, indicating that they were quite close to it. “Hold onto my arm tightly, Takato. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.” Sliding his own arm around Ryo’s offered elbow, Takato gulped and returned the warm smile with a nervous one of his own. He had been waiting for this moment ever since their first meeting, and now that it was here, he wasn’t sure if he should be ecstatic or fearful.

Chuckling softly, Ryo pressed a button and pointed the device outwards towards the river. His grip tight on the male's arm, Takato still jumped when a sheet of sparkling squares materialized in the air over the river, faint light emitting from them. The light got brighter, so bright that he was forced to shut his eyes against its brilliance. A heartbeat later, he felt his entire body lurch forward and was certain that he was going to faint.

But the sensation passed, and when his body finally stopped moving, he cautiously opened his eyes. Takato found himself kneeling next to a river very similar to the one he had just left, still clutching Ryo’s arm. “Oh…sorry,” he muttered, releasing the arm upon realizing that the other teen was looking at him oddly. Ryo’s expression quickly melted into a grin, which Takato gladly returned.

“So this is the Digital World?” he asked, standing up and looking around in wonder. They were standing by the edge of a river that ran next to a forest, with a clear blue sky above and a slight breeze helping to keep them cool. High in the sky was a giant ball that was rotating slowly, pink pillars of light stretching between it and the ground.

“Yep.” Ryo replied with a wide grin, apparently enjoying watching Takato take everything in. A splash nearby made the boy swing his head around, and he saw that a Gomamon was splashing another of its kind, both giggling madly.

“Wow…real Digimon!” he breathed, a smile forming on his face as he watched them play.

“Ryo!” A rasping shout caused both males to gaze skyward, and the Takato drew in a sharp breath at the sight. Descending towards them was Cyberdramon, looking twice as dangerous up close than he had in Takato’s dream. Flanking him was an Unimon, red wings flapping as it gracefully settled onto the ground in front of them.

“Takato…I’d like to introduce you to my partner, Cyberdramon,” Ryo said as the large Digimon landed.

Taking several steps forward, Takato bowed quickly and answered, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cyberdramon.”

“Nice to meet you too, Takato. Ryo hasn’t stopped talking about you since you two met,” Cyberdramon replied, dipping his helmeted head in return. Surprised, the teen glanced at the other human, and saw that Ryo was fidgeting with the sleeve of his shirt, face averted.

Smiling faintly, Takato decided to change the subject and addressed the horse-like Unimon. “Might I be able to ride on your back as you fly? I wouldn’t mind seeing more of the Digital World, and flying looks like the easiest way to do it.”

“Of course…just don’t pull on my mane,” Unimon replied, tossing her head and shifting so the boy could climb on without too much trouble.

“All right! You don’t mind, do you Ryo?” Takato asked, and was relieved to see the other boy shake his head and smile.

“Nope. Actually, I was going to suggest that we take a sight-seeing trip. You won’t believe how beautiful this place is until you see it, Takato.”

“You’ll have to point out the best spots to me, then,” he replied with a chuckle, walking over to climb onto Unimon’s back. Once Ryo had settled himself on Cyberdramon’s shoulder, both Digimon lifted off into the bright sky and began to explore the Digital World.

\- - -

Takato hummed happily to himself as he wandered slowly along one of pathways in the National Garden. It had been nearly a month since he had first met Ryo, and he was feeling closer than ever to the elusive Tamer. “Digimon Tamer…” he muttered, liking the way the words sounded. He still had the lingering desire to have his own Digimon partner, but his growing friendship with the other boy was quickly replacing that feeling. The teen had learned that Ryo was fourteen, a year older than he was, and a master at the Digimon Card Battle. Through the duels the had had, Takato had picked up many tips which he planned to use in the upcoming Shinjuku Summer Tournament; now just a few weeks away.

“Hey, Takato! Over here!” Hearing a familiar voice, he looked around and spotted Ryo waving at him from an adjacent pathway.

“Hi, Ryo! I‘ll be there in a minute," the boy called back, and quickly jogged around to meet up with his new friend.

The other male greeted him with a smile, and held up his Digivice. “Ready to go?” he asked.

“You bet!”

“Alright then, let’s go…I have a surprise I want to show you,” Ryo added with a mysterious smile, and Takato couldn’t help but blush slightly when Ryo’s eyes lingered on him a second longer than normal before moving away. Ignoring the weird feeling in the pit of his stomach, the teen held onto the other’s arm as the portal to the Digital World appeared before them.

Ten minutes later, Takato stared at the sight before him, thoroughly impressed with Ryo. Stretching out before them was a meadow filled with flowers and shaded by the occasional tree. A gurgling brook ran though the lower portion of the meadow, and a faint breeze swept flurries of cherry blossoms from the surrounding forest across the peaceful place, making it look even more beautiful. “Wow…” was the only thing he could manage, eyes drinking the wonderful sight in. Sure, he had viewed the cherry blossoms that had blossomed in Shinjuku with glee, but they had faded quickly after a few weeks. He had never expected to find the same sight duplicated in the Digital World.

“I come here whenever I’m feeling down to just relax. The cherry blossoms never fade, no matter how long is spent between visits,” Ryo explained, then asked softly, “Do you like it?”

“Like it…?” Blushing, Takato thought for a moment, trying in vain to come up with a word to describe how he felt. Drawing a blank, he felt his cheeks redden ever further, then simply said, “I love it.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah,” the teen answered, surprised to hear the faint quiver in Ryo’s voice as well as see a matching blush spread across his face. Impulsively, he grabbed the older boy’s hand and broke into a light jog, pulling Ryo after him. Hearing laughter behind him, Takato gasped as the other teen suddenly jumped on him, sending them both to the ground.

“Hey!” he exclaimed, then twisted around and pushed Ryo off him, immediately leaping onto the male and attempting to pin him to the ground. But the Tamer proved to be one step ahead, and had already moved to block Takato’s attack. The mock wrestling went on for several minutes, ending with Takato on his back, Ryo pinning him down by sheer strength. Panting, he saw that the Ryo had on a satisfied smirk, and grinned back in return. “I guess…you…won. This time…anyway.” he panted, then noticed that Ryo’s eyes held an odd look to them. It wasn’t a sour expression by any means, but it reminded Takato strongly of how his parents sometimes looked at him, especially after he had done something they were pleased about. Even so…the look the Tamer wore seemed deeper than the ones his parents had, and his stomach flipped at this realization.

“Takato…” Ryo murmured softly, one hand sliding off his shoulder onto the grass next his head. Leaning down slightly, he seemed on the verge of saying something important, but suddenly jerked away, blushing deeply. “N-never mind…” he said, rolling off of the younger boy to sit beside him, head turned away. Sitting upright, Takato mulled over what had just happened, and then it hit him. Ryo had a crush on him! He had seen it often enough at school, mostly between the male and female students, but had even noticed it between Kazu and Kenta on occasion; though they hid it better. Glancing at the Tamer out of the corner of his eye, he saw that Ryo still was not looking at him.

Crossing his arms, Takato thought about his own feelings on the matter, then nodded. Placing a hand gently on the older male’s shoulder, he asked softly, “Ryo?” The boy sighed, then slowly turned to look at him. Careful to keep his expression neutral, Takato slid closer to him and reached out to trail a finger along Ryo’s cheek, his skin tingling at the touch. Deciding to do it before he lost his nerve, he leaned in and closed his eyes, praying that the teen wouldn’t jerk away like before.

But Ryo held still, and a second later Takato brushed his lips against Ryo’s, feeling a wonderful sensation spread through his body as they touched. After an all too brief second, he broke the kiss and leaned back, half-fearing to see the other boy’s expression. Ryo’s blue eyes were wide, and he seemed almost to be in shock. But after a moment, the look thawed, and a slow smile crept in to replace it.

“Was…was it that obvious?” he asked haltingly, cheeks red.

“No…I just figured it out,” Takato admitted, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

“Oh.” the Tamer looks surprised, then chuckled weakly. “Um…thank you? I’m not sure what to say now…”

“How about we just talk? Y’know, about school, family, recent movies, just stuff. Then, maybe, we can figure out where to go from here.”

“Yeah…yeah, that’s a good idea.” Ryo said, nodding slowly in agreement. “I’ll start, seeing as how you don’t know that much about me.” Seeing Takato’s delighted expression, he laughed and began to speak. “You mentioned once that you have never seen a Digimon like Cyberdramon. Well, it all started on December 31st a few years ago…”


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takato is forced to introduce Ryo to Kazu and Kena.

Hm…” Takato lifted his pencil from the page of his notebook and frowned slightly in concentration. He was sitting beside the small stream of the Cherry Blossom Meadow, hard at work on a very special drawing. Ryo was laying on the grass behind him, using the other boy’s back as a makeshift pillow while he slept. Three months had passed since they had first met, and summer in the Real World was coming to a close. But in the Digital World, the cherry blossoms still bloomed as brightly as ever, and Takato smiled as he breathed in their fragrant scent.

Eyes narrowing as he thought of something, the teen bent back over the notebook in his lap, pencil scribbling furiously as he added several things to his picture. After a minute, he grinned and held it up in triumph, announcing softly, “There! That part’s done!”  
“Finally finished whatever it is you’ve been working on?” Ryo asked drowsily, and Takato chuckled as the older boy shifted to rest his chin on his shoulder.

“Almost…but you can’t see it yet," Takato answered, flipping the cover of the notebook closed to hide the drawing.

“Whatever this secret is, it better be good,” Ryo teased gently, nuzzling the side of the teen’s neck before drawing away. “After all, you’ve spent two weeks keeping it from me.”  
“Trust me, it will.”

“Since when have I not trusted you?”

“Um…well, you didn’t believe me when I said I was good enough to be in the Top Ten the Summer Tournament, and I came in eighth.”

“Good point…but I distinctly remember you using some of my moves against your last opponent,” Ryo said, and Takato twisted around in time to catch the proud grin that he wore.

“Yeah, but she was really good! I figured that I might win if I used some of the combos you used,” he replied, turning around fully and giving his friend a light shove.

“What was her name again?” the other male asked, pushing back in return.

“Uh…Makino Ruki, I think. She went on to win the Tournament, too. Man, I wish I was as good as her,” Takato muttered, recalling how confidently the girl had played against him.

“You will be…someday.” Ryo said, giving his shoulder an encouraging squeeze before leaning in to kiss him gently. “Trust me on that.”

“Okay…” he replied, pleased and somewhat distracted by the tingling feeling that lingered in his stomach. Since that first kiss, they had limited their contact to light touches and the occasion kiss, each brief moment of contact leaving the boy feeling odd and wanting more. But he knew Ryo wanted to take things slow, and he respected that. After all, the older teen had been hurt before by close friends before, and probably didn’t want to repeat the experience.

Sighing softly at the memory of Ryo’s expression as he had told Takato about his painful past, the male leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the other boy, telling himself that he would never ever do anything to hurt his friend like that.

“Takato?” Ryo asked softly, sounding surprised at his actions.

“Everything will be alright, Ryo. I promise…” he whispered in return, fighting back the tears that welled up in his eyes. It wouldn’t do for him to start crying, not now.

“Ok.” came the soft reply, and the Tamer returned to hug, holding Takato close until the younger boy pulled away. Smiling weakly, he stretched out on the soft grass and closed his eyes, determined to keep a positive outlook on life. After a few moments, he felt Ryo snuggle up next to him, then relax as he fell back asleep. Sighing, the teen decided that a nap sounded good, and slowly drifted off into a light doze.

\- - -

“So, where have you been sneaking off to lately?” The question made Takato look up from his lunch, surprised to find Hirokazu leaning on his desk, glaring down at him.

“What…what do you mean?” he asked uneasily, scrambling to come up with a decent answer.

“I mean that you never hang out with me anymore. You’re always rushing off after class, saying that you have things to do.”

“Yeah, and the last few times I’ve called your place, you mother said that you were out with a “friend”. What’s up, Takato?” Kenta added, walking up to stand beside Kazu.

“I…ah…well, I have been hanging out with someone lately,” Takato said, figuring it best to tell the partial truth instead of a complete lie. Ryo and him were friends, even if they were really close.

“Right.” The tone of Kazu’s voice made it clear that he didn’t believe Takato, and Kenta also looked unconvinced. “Then can we meet this “friend” of yours? Although it might not be obvious, we like meeting new people, too.”

“Um…I’ll ask them, ok? No promises, though,” the teen finally said, wondering how he was ever going to explain the situation to Ryo. The Digital World and its inhabitants were supposed to be kept secret, and Takato wasn’t sure if his two friends were up to the task.

“Fine. But I expect an answer by Friday, Takato. That gives you three days,” Kazu said, jabbing the boy in the chest just as the bell rang to end the lunch period. Nodding, Takato watched as both teens returned to their seats, suddenly nervous about his planned meeting with Ryo that evening.

\- - -

“Let me get this straight. Your two friends are demanding to know who you’re spending time with?” Ryo asked slowly, gazing up at the dark sky of the Digital World.

“Pretty much,” Takato replied glumly, watching a discarded data packet roll past like a tumbleweed.

“What are you so worried about?” the Tamer asked softly, running his fingers through Takato’s hair in an effort to calm him down.

“It’s just…I don’t know how they’ll react when they meet you. And then there’s the whole issue of the Digital World…” he replied, dropping his gaze to stare at the ground.

“Afraid they’ll get jealous?” the older boy teased, tipping Takato’s chin up to meet his gaze. When the teen refused to be baited, Ryo frowned and released his chin. “You’re actually serious. Alright Takato, I’ll be clear: there is no way I’ll be telling them anything about the Digital World, or about your involvement with Digimon. As far as they are concerned, we are just friends. Got it?”

“Yeah,” Takato replied after a second, reaching out to pat the Tamer on the shoulder. “Thanks, Ryo.”

“No problem, buddy,” Ryo replied with a chuckle and a wink. “Now, how about I come over to your place Saturday? I don’t have to stay long, but I would like to meet your parents sometime. I’m sure they’re just as curious to know who you keep going off to see.”

“Um…yeah, that’ll work.” The younger teen flashed his friend a bright smile and leaned back to gaze at the night sky. “The Digital World sure is beautiful at night…” he murmured, light red eyes gazing up at the rotating sphere that represented Earth.

“I know, Ryo replied quietly, moving closer to slide his arms around Takato’s waist. Pulling him back so that he was leaning against the Tamer’s chest, he added, “And I’m really glad you’re here to share this place with me.”

Takato turned his head sideways and closed his eyes, feeling utterly at peace with himself. Ryo had that effect on him, and it was part of the reason why he liked the older boy. He never wanted to leave Ryo’s arms…never ever.

\- - -

Takato swallowed nervously and checked his watch for the third time in five minutes, then gazed out the window. It was almost time for the planned meeting, and Kazu and Kenta would be arriving in a few minutes. His stomach clenched into a tight knot, the boy wondered what how his friends would react to Ryo. Hopefully, everything would go smoothly.

Spotting the two boys rounding his street corner, Takato bolted from the window to the front door, sliding it open and poking his head out. “Hey guys,” he said, giving them a tight smile.

“Hi Takato.”

“Hey pal.” Kazu replied, then punched his boyfriend lightly on the shoulder. “Glad to see you didn’t back out of the deal. Kenta, you owe me.”

“I wouldn’t do that!” Takato protested weakly, letting his friends in and leading them up to his room.

“I’ll pay you later, Kazu,” Kenta replied with a sigh, easing down onto the floor. The other teen grinned and settled beside him, looping an arm around his shoulder.

“So, when is this friend of yours showing up?” Kazu asked, chuckling as Kenta shrugged the arm off.

“They will be here soon,” Takato responded, nerves threatening to overwhelm him. What if Ryo didn’t show up? Would his friends accept the Tamer? What questions would they ask? Kazu and Kenta seemed to sense that something was bothering him, and make light conversation to pass the time.

“Takato! Your friend’s here!” his mother suddenly shouted from the bottom of the stairs, causing the boy to jump up.

“I’ll be right back, wait here,” he said to the pair, rushing out of the room and bolting down the stairs.

“Don’t kill yourself!” Kazu called after him, and Takato imagined the grin that was on his face. Kazu probably found this whole situation hilarious, but that was just the way he was.

The boy slid to a halt a moment later, having spotted Ryo. His friend was standing by the front door, removing his shoes and chatting with Takato’s mother. His blue eyes lit up upon spotting Takato, but the teen politely continued the conversation.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Matsuda-san,” he said to Takato's mother, bowing in greeting.

“So polite! Well, I must say it is wonderful to meet you too, Ryo. I’ve been wondering who Takato has been seeing lately. There you are, Takato,” she replied, turn and smiling at her son.

“Thanks Mom,” he said meaningfully, edging by her and grabbing Ryo’s arm. “C’mon, my friends are waiting upstairs.”

“Your mother does smell like flour,” the Tamer commented softly as they headed up the stairs. Takato just nodded distractedly, releasing his friend’s arm and taking a deep breath. This was it, the big meeting. Walking into his room, the boy cleared his throat and gestured towards the door.

“Guys, I’d like you to meet Akiyama Ryo.” he said awkwardly, stomach twisting with dread. How would they react?

“Hi, Ryo. I’m Kitagawa Kenta,” Kenta said brightly, adjusting his glasses and smiling.

“So you’re the one Takato has been sneaking off to see! Man, I was sure it was a girl…” Kazu gave a mock frown, bounding to his feet and clapping Ryo on the shoulder. “Nice to meet you, Ryo! My name’s Shiota Hirokazu, but you can just call me Kazu. Everyone else does.”

“It’s nice to meet both of you.” Ryo replied moving to sit down with the other boys. Takato let out a low sigh, relieved that his friends seemed to be accepting the Tamer. Smiling, he moved to sit by Ryo, watching as the older teen laughed at one of Kazu’s jokes. He was so glad he had met Ryo, and Takato hoped that they could all be friends.


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryo goes missing, and Takato makes an important decision.

Takato panted as he waited for the streetlight to change, tugging his scarf tighter around his neck. It was mid-October, and the weather was getting cooler. Grey clouds hung low in the afternoon sky, making Shinjuku look dim and dull. But neither the weather or the clouds occupied the teen’s mind; he was thinking of something much more important.  
  
Ryo was missing. Three weeks ago, Takato had arranged to meet him outside a local store, but the Tamer hadn’t shown up. He had found it odd, but the boy hadn’t worried too much about it. But as the days passed, Takato had grown uneasy, then worried about his friend. It wasn’t like Ryo to vanish like this for so long. He had to be in trouble, perhaps even hurt. The other possibility was too painful to think about.  
  
Boarding the train that would take him downtown, Takato dug his notebook out of his kitbag, flipping it open to his special drawing. He had started it in early summer, carefully hiding it from Ryo. The picture was of the Tamer and Cyberdramon, Ryo looking heroic with his hair waving in the wind. The pair stood in the Cherry Blossom Meadow, the pink flower petals swirling around them. Takato had been planning on giving it to Ryo at the start of October, but then his friend had vanished.  
  
Last week, Kazu and Kenta had helped him look for Ryo, but had found no sign of the teen. The police didn’t seem to be doing anything, so Takato had decided to take matters into his own hands. He would search all of Tokyo if he had to, for as long as it took to find his friend. At this point, he would do anything to find Ryo. _Anything_.  
  


\- - -

  
  
“Where are you, Ryo?” Takato whispered, staring miserably down at a fishpond. It was late, extremely late, but he didn’t want to go home. His parents thought he was over at a friend’s house, so there was no point in going home. The teen had scoured downtown Tokyo, searching block by block for some clue to where his friend had gone. After hours of finding nothing, the boy had ended up at the entrance to a small park, long shadows hiding the trees.  
  
Takato could feel an aching emptiness within him, a hole in his heart that Ryo had filled. He had never imagined being separated from his friend for so long, and he was hating their time apart. All he wanted to do was hug the older boy and hear the sound of his voice.  
  
Rubbing his eyes and yawning, he run a hand through his brown hair, trying to stay awake. The water of the fishpond seemed to glimmer in the faint moonlight, and Takato blinked, trying to focus.  
  
“No way…” he breathed, watching a pattern of lights begin to flash across the surface of the pond. His despair turned to faint hope as he watched the portal to the Digital World materialize, sparking just below him. Was Ryo about to appear?  
  
But his hope faded as the seconds ticked by with nothing happening. The Tamer had mentioned that portals sometimes opened to Earth for no apparent reason, appearing in all kinds of places. Takato knew that entering the gates was dangerous, especially since he didn’t have a D’Arc to guide him. But…if Ryo _was_ in the Digital World…wouldn’t it be logical to look for him there?  
  
Frowning at his dilemma, Takato mulled over the possibility. He had no Digimon to protect him, and had no way of returning home once he entered the portal. But he couldn’t bear walking away and waiting for Ryo to return; it just didn’t feel right. He had done nothing for three weeks, and Takato felt he was letting his friend down by not doing something to find him.  
  
“Aaahhh, this is impossible,” the boy groaned, tugging on his hair in frustration. “How am I supposed to make this kind of decision by myself?” Glaring down at the portal, he added, “Could you at least give me a signal or something?”  
  
Takato’s red eyes widened a moment later as a single cherry blossom emerged from the light, drifting upwards on an invisible breeze. In awe, the teen watched as it lazily spiralled up into the night sky, then slowly descended. Reaching out slowly, he caught the petal in the palm of his hand, still staring at it.  
  
“Ryo…” he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. It was a sign from Ryo, it just had to be. Sniffling, Takato made up his mind, fingers closing around the cherry blossom. If his friend was calling him, then he would answer.  
  
“I’m coming…I’m coming for you, Ryo!” Takato cried, wiping his eyes and gripping the strap of his kitbag tighter. He had his card deck, a water bottle and some snacks, plus an extra sweater. The boy figured that should be enough, especially if Ryo was close to the portal.  
  
Staring determinedly down at the glittering sheet of light, Takato took a deep breath and jumped into the middle of the portal. It was the right decision. Ryo needed him, and he needed Ryo. And once he found his friend, nothing would ever separate them again.


	4. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takato locates Ryo.

Takato landed hard on his back, glad that his kitbag had cushioned him from the fall. Opening his eyes cautiously, he gazed up at the dark sky of the Digital World for a few moments. He had made it through safely.

Sitting up slowly, the boy realized that he had landed in the far corner of the Cherry Blossom Meadow, right next to the small brook. Wincing at several bruises, he climbed to his feet and looked around, red eyes sweeping the open space.

“Ryo!” he gasped, sighting the older teen in the middle of the meadow. Charging through the clumps of flowers, Takato prayed that his friend was ok. What had happened? How long had he been here? Why hadn’t he returned to Shinjuku?

Kneeling over the Tamer was Cyberdramon, the reptilian Digimon looking ragged and tired. But has Takato approached, the Digimon lifted his head and bared his fangs, snarling angrily at him. Stopping quickly, the boy raised his hands to show that he meant no harm.

“Whoah Cyberdramon…it’s me, Takato. You remember me, right?” he said softly, keeping his eyes fixed on the large Digimon.

“…Takato…?” Cyberdramon growled after a minute, seeming to recognize the boy at last. “Takato! You came,” he said again, sounding relieved.

“Yeah.” Takato replied, smiling faintly. Walking over quickly, he knelt down beside Ryo, dread twisting his stomach at the sight. The Tamer’s right arm was covered in blood, his sweater having being shredded by something - or someone. Scrapes and bruises littered his face, and the teen’s clothes were torn and dirty.

“What happened?” he whispered, shocked by Ryo’s appearance.

“We we attacked by another Digimon, and we both were injured,” Cyberdramon replied, sounding exhausted.

“I’ll look after him. You get some rest,” Takato told him, and the Digimon nodded gratefully before stretching out on the grass nearby. Willing away his tears, Takato set about tending to his friend’s wounds and making him comfortable. His scarf was quickly torn into bandages and wrapped around Ryo’s arm; his sweater became a pillow tucked underneath his head. Takato’s coat was used as a blanket, and some water applied with a scrap of his scarf washed away some of the blood and dirt.

Heart aching with misery at Ryo’s condition, Takato settled down beside him, resolved to stay awake until his friend awoke. If anything happened, he would alert Cyberdramon, but he would keep watch until morning. Breathing in the sweet scent of the cherry blossoms, Takato knew it would be a long time until dawn.

\- - -

“Uuuuhhh…”

A soft moan jerked Takato from his thoughts, and he quickly glanced down at Ryo. His friend was grimacing and groaning, obviously in pain. Fingers gripped the edge of his coat, and the older teen squirmed in his sleep.

“It hurts…Takato, help me…” he moaned, head tossing from side to side. Brushing some sweat-dampened hair off of his friend’s forehead, Takato frowned at the fever Ryo had. The Tamer needed medical attention, but there was nothing he could do.

Leaning down, the boy pressed his cool forehead against Ryo’s hot one, closing his eyes. “I’m right here, Ryo. Hold on. Don’t leave me here alone,” he whispered, not caring that the Tamer probably couldn’t hear him.

Ryo seemed to settle down a little bit, his breathing becoming a little calmer. Takato straightened up, wishing he could do something to ease his friend’s discomfort. But all he could do was wait and hope things turned out alright.

\- - -

“Aaaah…”

Takato regarded Ryo out of the corner of his eye, making sure he was ok. Seeing that things were fine, he went back to staring out at the dark meadow, making sure he didn’t accidentally fall asleep. He was tired, oh so tired. But his friend needed him, so sleep was out of the question.

“Mmm…Ta-Takato?” Ryo mumbled drowsily, and the boy turned to look down at his friend.

“I’m here,” he replied, slipping his hand into the Tamer’s sweaty palm. Ryo looked pleased to see him, but there was puzzlement in his blue eyes.

“How…did you get here?” his friend asked.

“I was looking for you, and a portal to the Digital World opened up in front of me,” Takato explained gently, smiling in relief. The knot in his stomach had unwound as soon as Ryo had woken up, and the older teen seemed to be much better now.

“You were looking for me?” Ryo echoed, looking surprised.

“You’ve been gone for three weeks. I…I was worried.” Takato bit his lip, remembering the despair he had felt during that time. The Tamer’s gaze was distant for a moment, then he focused back on the boy.

“Oh Takato…” he said softly, squeezing his hand. “Get some sleep, you look tired. Cyberdramon will keep watch,” Takato nodded, glancing over to see that the Digimon was indeed awake. As Cyberdramon got up, he lay down, snuggling up to Ryo with a soft sigh.

The older teen rolled over and tossed Takato’s coat over them both before wrapping and arm around his waist.

“Thank you for finding me,” Ryo whispered, kissing the back of his neck. Takato smiled and closed his eyes, feeling at peace for the first time in what seemed like forever. Ryo was safe. His life was complete again.


	5. Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takato and Ryo return home.

Takato woke up slowly, rolling over to shield his eyes from the bright sun. He shifted, resting his head on Ryo’s shoulder. The Tamer sighed softly in his sleep, his warm breath tickling the boy’s cheek. Takato smiled, thinking that this was perfection. Making sure not to bump his friend’s injured arm, he slid and around Ryo’s waist and fell back to sleep.

\- - -

“Takato…”

“Mmmph?”

“Takato.”

“Eh?…”

“Takato!”

“Huh?” Snorting, the teen jerked his head up and blinked sleepily, hearing Ryo chuckle in amusement.

“Are you always so hard to wake up?” he teased as Takato flipped the coat back and sat up.

“Sometimes,” the boy replied sheepishly, noticing in surprise that the meadow was dark. “It’s evening already?”

“Yeah. We slept the whole day away.” Ryo grimaced as he rotated his injured arm in a circle, but smiled when he saw Takato’s concern. “Don’t worry, it’s healing fast. Injuries do that here.”

“Ah.” Helping his friend to his feet, he breathed in the rich scent of cherry blossoms. As much as he wanted to stay here, Ryo needed to see a doctor. And his parents were probably flipping out over his sudden disappearance. Feeling a rush of guilt for leaving them like that, he turned to the Tamer.

“Uh, Ryo…”

“I know. We need to get home. And this time, I won’t leave your side.” Blue eyes lingered on his face, and then Ryo leaned in and kissed him for a long time.

\- - -

A cool breeze made the tree branches sway outside Takato’s window, but he paid no attention to that. Nearly a month had passed since he had found Ryo in the Digital World, and he hadn’t seen much of his friend in that time. Part of it was because his parents had grounded him for disappearing for two days, and part of it was due to Ryo recovering from his injuries.

They had chatted on the phone a few times, but today was a big day. Takato’s parents had finally lifted his punishment, and he had immediately invited the Tamer over for the afternoon. Seeing his friend walk up to the house, Takato smiled and quickly went downstairs.

“Hi Ryo!” he said excitedly, seeing the older teen grin in return.

“Hey pal,” Ruffling his hair on the way by, Ryo removed his shoes and followed Takato up to his room, settling on the bed beside him.

“How’s your arm?”

“Fully healed. My doctor was surprised that I recovered so quickly.” The Tamer rolled up his sleeve to expose the smooth skin, all traces of the injury gone.

“That’s great!” Smiling happily, Takato removed his notebook from his backpack. Flipping it open to the right page, he held it out to his friend. “I have something to give you.”

Looking curious, Ryo accepted the notebook and gazed at the drawing of him and Cyberdramon in the Cherry Blossom Meadow. After a moment, his cheeks reddened, and he gave a bashful smile.

“You drew this just for me? Takato…I don’t know what to say, except that I love it.” Telling himself that those weren’t tears glistening in Ryo’s eyes, Takato smiled back.

“I’m glad. I was going to give it to you in October, but…” he trailed off, seeing the Tamer nod in understanding.

“Thank you. For everything.” Setting the drawing aside, Ryo pulled Takato towards him and gave him a long kiss. Breaking away for air, his whispered, “I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“You’re welcome,” Takato breathed back, leaning in for another kiss. Someday, he would ask Ryo what had happened in the Digital World, but for now, he would just the glorious feelings flowing through his body.


End file.
